The Very White of Love

by S.C. Worrall, Simon Worrall

A powerful true story of love and war, based on genuine love letters found in a chocolate box. Perfect for readers who enjoyed My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You and Suite Française.

Torn apart by war, their letters meant everything…
‘My love. I am writing to you without knowing where you are but I will find you after all these long months…’

3rd September 1938. Martin Preston is in his second year of Oxford when his world is split in two by a beautiful redhead, Nancy Whelan. A whirlwind romance blossoms in the Buckinghamshire countryside as dark clouds begin to gather in Europe.

3rd September 1939. Britain declares war on Germany. Martin is sent to the battlefields of France, but as their letters cross the channel, he tells Nancy their love will keep him safe. Then, one day, his letters stop.

3rd September 1940. It’s four months since Nancy last heard from Martin. She knows he is still alive. And she’ll do anything to find him. But what she discovers will change her life forever…

Genres: Fiction, Historical, World War II, War, Historical Fiction

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2018

About the author

Author also writes under Simon Worrall

S. C. Worrall was born in Wellington, England and spent his childhood in Eritrea, Paris and Singapore. Since 1984, he has been a full-time, freelance journalist and book author. He has written for National Geographic, GQ, The London Times and The Guardian. He has also made frequent appearances on Radio & TV, including the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent; NPR and PBS. He speaks six languages and has lived in or visited more than 70 countries. The Very White of Love is his debut novel.

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Very White Of Love by S.C. Worrall is a heart wrenching and powerful historical read that brings alive the futility of war for the reader. Now that I have finished the book, I still feel emotionally charged. The story affected me deeply.
Set between 1938 - 1941 the reader 'experiences' both peace and war. The tranquillity of the English countryside steeped in very 'Englishness' contrasts with the brutality of war torn Europe. Due to comprehensive descriptions, the reader 'lives' through both.
This is a novel grounded in reality. The author found letters to his mother in an attic after her death and he was inspired to write the story. Some details are factual, others are from the author's imagination.
1938 showed a country on the brink of war. People witnessed the storm clouds gathering over Europe. They hoped war would not come.
1939 saw war become a reality. Hope had died but was replaced by a new hope - hope for peace and survival.
The war years show the resilience of the British people. Boys quickly became men in the face of war. On the homefront, people carried on holding on to hope.
As a historical novel, The Very White Of Love brings history to life. The sheer futility of war. The brutality of guns. The sights no one should ever have to see. The camaraderie of the oh so brave soldiers who fought for our freedom in the face of pure evil.
As a love story, The Very White Of Love is so beautiful. The love jumps from the pages enveloping the reader, leaving behind a sense of peace and beauty.
An afterwards fills the reader in on precise details, bringing closure to the novel.
I will leave you with this most powerful thought in a war that was such a waste of so much potential and young lives snuffed out.
"Home... the most beautiful word in the English language."
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this is some debut novel- this blew me away . I was asked to review for LoveReading.

Mother has died and her son after a few weeks is going through a chocolate box filled with love letters all tied up with knots and one rainy day she unties the knots.

These love letters are during world war 2 - people did not know if they would survive the war, nothing was certain and love blossomed in difficult circumstances.

This was a beautiful book that I too sat on a bleak over cast day and like the son I untied the knots and turned the pagers.

this is a true story this gets better and better - Martin Preston and Nancy Whelan who meet in Oxford in 1937 and fall in love, then the war looms and Martin enlists. They are engaged before he goes.

So many at that time relied on letters to keep their love alive and they never knew if their loved ones would return.

This is not just a series of letters but the quest for the son to find out what happened to Martin as the son knew of this man due to a photo Nancy kept next to pictures of his father and other family members.

This is so moving and the reader yearns to find out what happened till the very last page. The sad thing is the son finds out what his mother never knew.

This was such a great read with wonderful writing I just loved reading this

What a privilege to be asked to review this book

Will definitely be in the top ten this summer. Published 14th June 2018.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really enjoyable. It was written based on the author's mother's letter from a man she loved before and during World War Two. I loved following the story through the letters and seeing the romance develop over the course of the book. I obviously loved the setting as I love good World War fiction.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic read, such a powerful book. I was immediately drawn into this book and couldn't put it down. I loved how it is based on a true story and historical events are interwoven within the book - so clearly meticulously researched. I also loved how famous people of the era are dropped into the story but with such authenticity that you can image them being there.

Beautifully written with vivid descriptions. A real rollercoaster of emotions - I cried and laughed. I recommend a box of tissues will be needed whilst reading this. It is heart-rending and compelling.

I highly recommend this book - a fantastic debut novel, I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book appealed to me on so many levels. Firstly I am a history nerd and love anything to do with the Second World War, secondly the book is based on a true story and thirdly the lead female character has red hair- like me. I was so excited to start reading this book and I was not to be disappointed as I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
The two main characters are called Martin Preston and Nancy Whelan. Martin is a student in his second year at Oxford University. Whilst he is in the midst of a hangover, he rushes to the post office before it closes. It is here that he (& we) first meets Nancy Whelan and from that moment on, he falls madly and passionately in love with her. Nancy is about all Martin can think about and when he isn’t with her, he dreams about her. When Martin is not in Oxford, he stays with his aunt, who is really like a surrogate mother to him. His own parents are overseas and to be honest they are not that close to their son. Martin’s mother is certainly a one off and Martin isn’t sure how his mother is going to take to Nancy. Nancy charms Martin’s family and even Martin’s mother isn’t as insulting as she has been known to be when meeting people for the first time. Nancy sounds as though she was a lovely woman. Initially she plays a bit hard to get but it isn’t long until she realises that Martin is the man for her and so the romance begins. Their love seems so passionate, so true and so intense.
Oh my this is one seriously fantastic book. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story from the first word on the first page. The book is really well written too. The story is based on a true story and details from certain historical events are interweaved with the story. This way of telling the story really works and the book has an added authenticity to it as a result. For a history nerd like myself, this book was very interesting as despite the fact that I studied A Level Modern History, which included the Second World War, there were details within the book that I hadn’t previously either known or realised. The saying ‘you learn something new every day’ is certainly true in this instance. I also loved the way in which famous people from that era make an appearance and are acquaintances of the couple. The author uses such vivid descriptions that I was swept along by the story and I really did feel as if I had been transported back to the late 1930s. Everything that the characters went through, I felt as though I went through and the feelings that the characters felt were similar to how I felt reading the book. Once I picked up the book and started to read, I found myself addicted to the story. I just had to get my next fix of reading ‘The Very White Of Love’. I would pick the book up with the intention of only reading a chapter or two but 4 chapters later I would still be sat there. I just had to read on to see what fate had in store for Martin and Nancy and if they got the happy ever after that they so deserved. It’s just as well that I had a box of tissues handy whilst I was reading the book because this book really did take me on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride.
As previously mentioned, I absolutely loved reading ‘The Very White Of Love’ and I will strongly recommend it to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board for such a fantastic book, just has to be 5* out of 5*.

[Mrs Penelope A Cottell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book.
It is one of those books that you will never forget especially as it is a true story .
It tells of the resilience of love no matter the consequences but also of the horrors of war not only for those fighting but also for those loved ones waiting at home.
More importantly for future generations it is a history lesson of which little is known. Current generations know about Dunkirk and the evacuation of our British troops but few are aware of the brave men who gave up their lives by holding back the German army by at least two days so that thousands could escape.
I wept buckets at the end it was so emotional.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit that I don't often read romance and that I don't often read books set in WWII. This was a wonderful introduction to the genre, and with it being Worrall's debut book he really draws you in and it's a great debut.

'The Very White of Love' is based upon a true story, it came about after Worrall discover his Mother's old love letters with Martin Preston, who went off to fight in the war. This is actually a dual perspective book, with the majority of the book being told from Martins perspective, as these are the majority of the letters that Worrall found in his Mothers box. There are also some perspectives from Worralls Mother, Nancy, with extracts from letters dispersed throughout the story.

The book travels quickly through time, so it's important to take note of the dates at the start of each chapter, but Worrall makes this appear effortless and the story really does flow. The love story moves fast, after all Martin goes off to war less than a year after he meets Nancy, and it's a fascinating view of dating during those times. It's a very sweet love story and one that you really get drawn into.

There are so many emotions within the book, love, heartbreak, loneliness, confusion... Worrall draws them all together and takes you effortlessly on the emotional journey he has crafted from the old letters he discovered. It's a impressive debut!

[Emma L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Very White of Love is a true story based on letters sent between Martin and Nancy during the Second World War. The couple meet a year before war breaks out and we follow their relationship as Martin is at University and Nancy works as a typist in london. The letters then follow their lives as Martin signs up, and travels to France after army training, while Nancy remains in England.
The story has a very effective way of illustrating how war turns everybody’s lives upside down and how planning for the future is futile. It also highlights the frustration felt by people who are desperately trying to find out information about their loved ones, but none is forthcoming. In this time when everyone is instantly contactable through smart phones and social media, we cannot even begin to understand how that must have felt.
The book really touched me and created a feeling of such sadness about what could have been. It tells of innocent men and boys who fought for their country never to return, and the bereaved left behind. It illustrates how men left their normal lives to go and witness utter horror so that if they were lucky enough to return, they were completely different people.
I would highly recommend this book but be prepared to encounter some upsetting and devastating descriptions and events.

[Stella Stenroos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about this book, when I started reading it. Just what was on its back cover, which created very misleading expectations!

It turned out to be a gripping story of young love, which soon turned into a sobering description of the war, including its brutal details...

But it was the afterword that made me ugly-cry.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I won't explain why. Those who have read the book, already know why.

Beautiful. Extremely sad, ugly and unfair, but beautiful.

[Marian Baay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A moving, gripping true-life tale about love and war. Although, I can’t say that I enjoyed reading every aspect of the book, the emotion was strong and the story stayed with me for a long time.

[Heather Dune Macadam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extraordinary story, stunningly told by one of my favorite authors in the world. He is so talented that I actually married him--you should have seen the love letters he wrote me!

Well, you will understand where his talent came from as you read his mother's love letters to her fiancé, the young nephew of the WWI poet and author, Sir Robert Graves. If you long for rich prose and a powerful narrative this is a book you will want to curl up with this winter, in front of the fire, and a cup of tea. Keep the tissues nearby.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply moving wartime romantic novel with a sad ending beautifully written it leaves the reader with a hole in there heart makes the reader realise the cruelty and horrors of world war 2 and thats where humanity has come in people helping each other in a Christian duty way.

[m j📚💌🍂 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely and well written book, extremely moving and amazing !!! ♥️

[Lezanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is, of course, difficult to read any book based on true historical facts from WWII without feeling emotional. Some parts of the book, however, felt very abrupt. The author used quite a lot of short sentences after another and I found it didn't read fluently. "He checks his watch. He shuffles forward." Some parts also had too much information that did not necessarily add anything to the story. Although the plot was interesting, I did not particularly like the writers writing style. The ending, like most war stories, unfortunately, was quite moving and sad.